Vlogging and the changing advertising market

Advertising is changing, and Vlogging is growing. With the rise of Youtube stars like PewDiePie and Zoella, subsequent generations are finding these celebrities far more relatable than traditional stars from Hollywood. Brands should reflect the changing market, as generations continue their never-ending march, or risk becoming obsolete.

Vlogging, simply put, is blogging by video

Video has shown itself to have far more grabbing appeal than many static adverts. However, the benefits of vlogging are more nuanced than this. Recent studies estimate that the average person is bombarded with over 5000 adverts a day. And just as constant stimulation of senses dulls them, people have been desensitised to unimaginative advertising. This is evidenced by the fall of click-throughs to banner adverts online, which have dropped by 60% in the last decade.

Vlogging is an easy and cost-effective way for businesses to get their brand out into the public sphere”

This is further exasperated by the rise of ad-blocking software. In 2016, over 600 million people used ad-blocking software on their phones and desktops – with 5000 ads hitting people per day, it is unsurprising that this trend is continuing.

How does a business overcome these issues?

Creativity and targeting are the key. Interesting, informative and even fun adverts that are specifically relevant to the person viewing it and served in a format they like to consume - are far more likely to resonate, be noticed and remembered!

One of the areas that is striking a note amongst younger people is the rise of the vloggers. Vlogging stars have come to dominate online media. From the chart below, it’s clear that this shift is generational and will continue into the future. Any business that fails to recognise this shift to video-dominated content and make this part of their marketing mix will likely fall behind those who do. A striking example of one of these companies is L’Oréal.

Last year L’Oréal shifted its marketing focus to vloggers on Youtube – most notably Zoella. They cast Zoella in paid-for reviews of their products and even began hosting her as a regular guest on their own channel. After a review by Zoella, featuring one of L’Oreal’s products saw sales double for four weeks. As L’oreal spokeswoman Rochet said, “We are changing the way we craft our advertising. And we are absolutely also working with influencers”. This shift in strategy acknowledges the influence vlogging is having on the advertising market.

Despite this, vlogging doesn’t need super-stars to be successful. The advantages of vlogging is that it can be more engrossing than static adverts, is cheaper than on-air advertising, and is more likely to reach its target audience. From small beginnings, vlogs will help to build your brand and, in time, sales. A long-term investment which will pay itself over in years to come, vlogging is an easy and cost-effective way for businesses to get their brand out into the public sphere. With this in mind, businesses must either adapt to the changing market or face being left behind.